Before I Drown
by Blade Thomas
Summary: Karla Liston is stuck being married to an abusive husband with only her son Caleb to keep her going. When her husband drags them to Forks to separate her from family Seth imprints on her. Can he pull her out of the water before she drowns? Or will she pull him under too? Rated T for Violence, Language and Sexual Content.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Replacing another story with this.  
>DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TWILIGHT SAGA<br>Summary: Karla Liston is stuck being married to an abusive husband with only her son Caleb to keep her going. When her husband drags them to Forks to separate her from family Seth imprints on her. Can he pull her out of the water before she drowns? Or will she pull him under too?

Karla's POV  
><em>Have you ever fell in love so hard that you felt like you would completely break if you ever hit the bottom? If you were to ever stop falling? Because I did; I was sixteen and the quiet girl, I didn't have issues I just preferred myself against others until the day I met him. Shawn Liston, the new guy who came in and automatically jumped the popular ladder; football, basketball, baseball, MMA; You name it and Shawn was amazing at it. A couple weeks after he got there he sat by me at lunch and we talked. I never wanted our conversations to end, he was smart, sweet, and he had amazing brown eyes with dirty blonde hair. Our relationship was bliss, amazing bliss. I even gave myself to him a few months later. Soon after I turned nineteen I got pregnant and Shawn suggested marriage. I was ecstatic at the idea of marrying him, the man of my dreams. We got married, had our son Caleb who is now 3 months old and were moving to Forks, Washington from Albany, New York. Remember what I said at the beginning of this story? Well I was right, I did stop falling. And I did break, completely. <em>

"Wake the fuck up." Shawn whispered to wake me but not Caleb. "God you're fucking deaf or dumb one."

"Sorry I must've dozed off." I wiped sleep and tears from my eyes.

"You better not have been fucking crying." He gritted his teeth. "I'm Karla I miss my mommy and daddy." He mocked. "Get the fuck over it."

"Sorry."

"Whatever." He got out of the car. "Get the god damn kid." I looked out the window to realize we were at our new house in the small town of Forks. I grabbed Caleb and our stuff while Shawn sat on the porch and texted. "Hurry up. I wanna go drinking so I can stand to look at you when I come home." He berated me. I simply nodded and continued getting our bags. A small truck pulled up by the house and what looked like a bunch of guys from the local Indian Reservation got out.

"Hey new neighbors." One said. "I'm Sam Uley and these are my friends Jacob, Quil, Paul, Jared and Seth." He introduced them accordingly and I noticed the one named Seth had his gaze frozen on me. Shawn seemed to notice too because he came and placed his arm around my waist and shot Seth a threatening glare which he didn't seem to notice.

"We just wanted to welcome you to our humble town."

"Well thanks for the welcome but we really should get back to work." Shawn said. Sam seemed to get the hint and they left, it took them a minute to get Seth's attention but they were gone soon enough. As soon as they were out of sight I felt oddly sad, like something was missing.

"Fucking slut." Shawn glared at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I saw you and that guy eyeing each other, you go anywhere near him and I'll fuck both of you up got it?" I nodded and he snatched the keys up off of the porch. "Don't wait up bitch."

Seth's POV  
>She was perfection; wavy brown hair, deep ocean blue eyes and an amazing, curvy body. Everything about her was everything I never knew I wanted. I saw the guy come and put his arm around her. Her eyes instantly glazed over with sadness at his touch and I wanted nothing more than to rip that arm off.<p>

"Well thanks for the welcome but we really should get back to work." The man glared at me but I didn't care. It took the guys a minute to get me to leave. Something urged me not to leave her alone with him.

"You know she's married right?" Jake asked me. "You just imprinted on a married woman."

"I know but I don't have a good feeling about her husband." I replied.

"It's cause of the imprint, you naturally don't like him." Quil said.

"No." Sam spoke up. "I got the feeling too, it's like he's overly possessive and she looked unpleased by his touch like she was afraid he was gonna hurt her." At the thought of her being hurt I seethed.

"He better never fucking touch her!" I growled I could feel the wolf taking over.

"Seth calm down." Sam spoke in his stern alpha voice which I was forced to obey. "We will keep an eye on her." I nodded.

"I never even got her name." I said with my head leaned against the window.

"Don't worry man." Jake clapped my back. "Everything will work out for you just like it did for me." He was referring to his long struggle to win Bella from Edward and ultimately imprint on their hybrid daughter Nessie.

"I hope so."

That night I sat watching her house only to find her drunken husband stumbling it at sunrise reeking of beer, perfume and sex. I growled at him and he looked in my direction.

"Stupid dogs." He slurred as he made his way into the house and passed out at the kitchen table. About 4 hours later she came down and made him breakfast, sitting it on the table but not waking him up. I then saw her leave the kitchen and come back in with a small baby in her arms.

"**She has a kid." I said. **

"**Seth, Quil is coming to relieve you; he'll keep an eye on her while you go get some sleep." Sam told me. **

"**No." I answered stubbornly. "I'm fine where I'm at." **

"**Yes." He said as the Alpha. **

A few minutes later Quil arrived and I was forced by Alpha command to leave.

A few hours later I was pacing back and forth in my room until Quil arrived at my window.

"He went to work, he'll be back at around nine tonight from what they said." He told me.

"Thanks man." I replied.

"No problem." He smiled before he headed home to get some sleep.

Once I was able to get my brain to settle I decided I would lie down for at least a little bit of sleep.

I woke up about an hour later and decided I needed to know her name. The clock said it was 1:18 pm and her husband was working until 9 so I got up, threw on some clothes and made my way to the house of the girl I loved more than life itself, the girl whose name I had yet to learn.

Karla's POV  
>I was doing dishes while Caleb cooed from his playpen in the living room. I always felt like a single mother seeing as Shawn never did anything but drink, cheat and abuse me. The little boy mumbling words only he could understand in the next room was the only thing that kept me going. The doorbell rang and I dried my hands before going to answer it. I opened the door and it was Seth, the guy from yesterday that I couldn't stop thinking about.<p>

"Hey." He smiled. "We never got properly introduced yesterday, I'm Seth Clearwater." He smiled.

"Karla Liston." I answered him. I knew if Shawn caught him here he would beat the hell out of both of us but something in Seth's eyes made it seem worth it.

"Nice to meet you." He smiled even brighter. I smiled back at him, genuinely happy for some reason.

"Would you like something to drink?" I asked.

"No thanks, I actually have to get to work just thought I'd reintroduce myself."

"Well thanks for…" I was cut off by Caleb bursting into a fit from the living room. "That's my cue." I turned around and walked into the living room. I picked up Caleb and tried to get him to stop crying but nothing was working. I turned around and saw Seth behind me.

"Mind if I try?" He held out his arms for Caleb. I handed him over and nearly as soon as he was in Seth's arms he fell quiet. Like he was supposed to be there, like it was natural and to be honest it looked natural for Seth too. I let my eyes glaze over his body. He was wearing dark jeans with a black shirt, his arms were donned with muscles and tattoos and I could tell under the tight shirt that he was cut. He was honestly the hottest guy I'd ever seen and I was getting kind of turned on by how hunky and strong he was yet he was able to hold a baby as gently as a feather. The fact that I was getting turned on meant it was time for Seth to leave.

"Well you should probably get to work." I reminded him.

"Yeah." He said and he handed a now sleeping Caleb to me. "Nice to properly meet you." He smiled again.

"You too." I smiled back. I walked Seth to the door and as soon as it closed I fell to my knees crying. In a world full of men as good looking and as sweet as Seth Clearwater how did I get stuck with the biggest asshole of all? Just my luck I guess.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here is Ch.2 of Before I Drown. Note: things get a little more interesting in this chapter.

Seth's POV.  
>One night as I got off from patrol a week later I went to check up on Karla just like always but what I saw when I got there forced me to stay the whole night.<p>

"You can't do anything right!" Shawn smashed a plate against the wall. "You are the most worthless piece of shit ever!" It took full strength from Sam's Alpha command not to interfere but I knew I would break it if he laid a hand on her.

"I'm sorry." She sobbed and my heart broke.

"You're sorry?" He mocked. "You burned pizza you stupid bitch!" He yelled again. "How stupid do you have to be to fuck up a dinner that cooks itself?"

"Caleb was crying." She told him.

"Enough about the god damn kid!" He screamed again. "I wish he'd never even been born and I wish you were dead!" He went upstairs and I heard a bedroom door slam.

"**I have to check on her." **

"**No, Seth." Sam commanded. "She's fine for now." **

"**Sam I can't let her live like this." **

"**It's too dangerous to intervene." He told me. **

I sat outside for hours until he got up and left for work the next day I went home to take a shower and change and decided to go check on her.

Karla's POV  
>About an hour after Shawn left the doorbell rang and I answered it. It was Seth and the sight of him made me wanna smile but my body couldn't.<p>

"You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, long night." I played it off.

"You sure?" He sounded genuinely caring but I only nodded. No need to let him know how fucked up my life is.

"You want some leftover breakfast?" I asked for a change of subject. I knew this was a bad idea but I needed him around for some reason. I felt like I could breathe around him.

"Karla." He said as we sat down at the kitchen table. "I know you don't know me that well but I care ok?" He said calmly. "Is there anything you want to talk about?" His words were so genuine that I broke open like a dam. I began to sob and tell him what was going on.

"I try so hard." I began. "He was so perfect but as soon as I said I do he became this horrible person. He does nothing but calls me ugly, yells and screams, luckily he hasn't hit me since Caleb was born but still."

"He hit you while you were pregnant?" Seth seethed and his anger made me slightly happy yet oddly scared. I knew he wouldn't hurt me but something told me his temper was not one to unleash.

"I'm fine." I rubbed his insanely feverish hands and I felt him calm along with myself. "All he does is scream, yell, drink and cheat; he says he has to come home to me every night so he needs to get some that's at least half decent first." Seth didn't answer and I looked up a second later. His eyes were piercing into mine like knives.

"Karla." He said. "I know I only just met you but trust me, you mean more to me than you know and I'm here for you." I smiled slightly. "You are not ugly, you are the most beautiful girl in the world and I know right now, even though I've only known you for a short time, that any man would be lucky to have you as a wife." I looked deep into his chocolate eyes and I thought to myself that I'm a married woman but I don't care. And then I kissed him.

About twenty minutes later we were both lying naked on the kitchen floor panting after what was honestly the best sex of my life.

"Whoa." He breathed.

"Yeah." I smiled. "We can continue to do this but it needs to be hush hush, at least for now."

"For now?" He asked.

"I wanna leave Shawn but I'm scared." I told him. "Something about you gives me courage to do it I just need time." He smiled

"Glad I could help." He smiled and I chuckled.

Seth's POV  
>I raced home, elated with joy. I literally just started an affair with a married woman. I was a home-wrecker but I was happy as shit. Making love to Karla was honestly a million times better than I could have ever dreamed and I couldn't wait to see her again.<p>

For the next week I would come by every time Shawn went to work. Sometimes we did it, other times we just sat around and talked. I was the happiest man alive.

"**You know if her husband ever catches you he's gonna go off." Jared told me while he, Paul and I were out on patrol one night. **

"**It's not like he can hurt me." I scoffed. **

"**True but he can hurt her." Paul added. **

"**I'll kill him before he tries." I growled. **

"**Calm down man, I'm just stating the risks of your affair." Paul said.**

"**It won't be an affair once she leaves him." I said. **

"**He won't take that very well." Jared stated. **

"**He won't have a choice." I answered. **

That night Shawn was out getting drunk and sleeping with whatever whore was on the specials menu so I decided to present Karla with a little gift for her birthday.

"You remembered?" She stared in awe at the hand carved wooden wolf dangling from the teal beaded charm bracelet. "All Shawn got me was a 'hope you're dead when I come home.'"

"I swear to fucking god I'm going to rip his heart out." I said and she kissed me, instantly calming me down.

"Chill babe." She whispered. "Soon enough he'll be out of my life, the divorce papers will be here Friday."

"That's three days too long." I told her.

"It'll all be worth it in the end." She kissed me one more time before we let our passion consume us.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Ch. 3 of Before I Drown.

Seth's POV  
>That Friday the divorce papers arrived in my mailbox, Karla had them mailed to me so Shawn wouldn't find them and as soon as soon as I got them I made my way over to Karla's house.<p>

"I need you to be here tonight when I give them to him." She said as she signed them, fear in her eyes.

"There's nowhere else anyone could make me be." I said holding Caleb as he slept in my arms. She nodded and wiped tears from her eyes. "Don't be afraid." I told her.

"Seth, you don't know what he's capable of."

"And he doesn't know what I'm capable of." I told her.

"Seth listen to me."

"No, listen to me. I have known you for a few weeks and I've loved you from the first moment, I am different from your average man in more ways than one and someday you will know what I mean but I pray it is not tonight." She looked at me scared. "I would never hurt you or Caleb but if my temper gets out of control I may tear Shawn limb from limb." I told her hoping she didn't realize that I literally meant limb from limb.

I texted Sam and them and told him to have at least 2 guys in the woods in case it got out of hand he replied saying Paul and Jared would be there. I sat at the house with Karla as she got her composure. Eventually we heard Shawn's car pulling into the driveway and a minute or so later he came into the house, for once he was sober.

"Hey woman, where the fuck is my dinner." He asked as he walked into the living room and saw me. "What the hell is going on here?" He asked. Karla simply pointed to the papers on the table and he read them aloud. "Request for divorce slash separation." He began to laugh. "So you've been fucking the ayah ayah Indian behind my back and now you're gonna try and leave me?" His laugh became hysterical. "You both die tonight." He lunged at me and I planted him with one punch which sent him flipping over the couch.

"Sign the papers Shawn." Karla stated.

"Fuck you whore." He yelled and I growled. Karla looked at me, surprised and afraid and he chuckled stupidly. "Calm down puppy dog."

"I am much worse than a puppy." I told him in a threating tone and he stood up.

"Prove it then." He swung again and I caught it kicking him in his chest through the TV. He stood up and threw a picture at Karla, cutting her arm on the broken glass and I began to shake. Next thing I knew Jared and Paul were pulling me to the side while Charlie was putting Shawn in handcuffs.

"Arrest me you bitch!" He yelled at Charlie. "It's not gonna keep them safe!"

"This is to keep you safe, trust me." Charlie said calmly. Karla was in a fit of tears by the time I was calm enough to see straight. I held her closely and she fell apart in my arms.

She soon cried herself to sleep and a couple of hours later Charlie showed up.

"Seth you need to move her and Caleb, we can only hold him until morning." He told me and I nodded.

"I almost did it you know, I almost phased, I almost killed him."

"But you didn't now relax; pack her and Caleb some things and when she wakes up get them put of here."

"Thanks Charlie."

Karla's POV  
>Part of me was impressed by the ease with which Seth kicked Shawn's ass but part of me was scared. What was Seth hiding? Shawn is one of the best fighters I've ever seen and Seth a boy with admittedly no training threw him around like a chew toy. I had some questions for Seth when I woke up but for now I'll just let my mind carry me away from all of this.<p>

A couples of hours later I woke up and Seth was cleaning up the broken glass.

"Hey, get some shoes on and I'll get Caleb, the bags are in the car."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"They can only hold him until six in the morning so you and Caleb are coming to stay with me, where you'll be safe."

"Really?" I asked. He nodded.

"Please get some shoes on now."

"Seth, how did you toss him around like that?" I asked. "He's highly trained."

"I'll explain someday soon, I promise, now please shoes." He kissed my forehead and went upstairs to get Caleb.

An hour later I was sitting on Seth's couch with him watching Little Nicky while Caleb slept in a playpen behind the couch. Seth soon fell asleep and I decided to do something nice so I got up and began cleaning.

Seth's POV  
>I woke up a few hours later to the smell of pizza filling the air. The house was spotless and Karla was in the kitchen listening to music while she cooked a fresh homemade pepperoni pizza.<p>

"Hey sleepy head." She smiled a half forced smile when she saw me.

"You didn't have to do this."

"Just like you didn't have to protect me." She replied.

"I did have too." I answered.

"Why?"

"No reason, just trust me." She looked at me skeptically but shook her head and continued on with her business. A few minutes later I received a text to go on patrol and Jake would watch my house for me.

"Babe I gotta go to work." I told her.

"What do you do?" She asked.

"Patrol the woods to make sure hikers don't get lost or hurt."

"Be careful, I heard there are big wolves here."

"The wolves are the last thing to be afraid of, trust me."

"Still, be careful." She said and I nodded before kissing her and heading out the door.

"**How's she doing?" Sam asked me as we patrolled together. **

"**She's calmer but I can tell she's still upset." **

"**She will be safe with us Seth." He told me and I nodded. **

"**Charlie said if she comes forward with the abuse claims he can never see Caleb again." He told me.**

"**I'll talk to her about it in a couple of days." I said. "Let her get her mind of it for a minute." **

"**Good idea." He nodded. **

A/N: Ch.3 done! Review!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Ch.4 of Before I Drown. I forgot to mention this story takes place right after Breaking Dawn. 

Shawn's POV  
>I paced back and forth in the holding cell filled with rage. <em>She wants to be a whore and leave me for a no name punk? I'll make her regret it and I'll make sure he wishes he'd never set foot in her life. Her, him and anyone else who wants to are all gonna pay. <em>

"Liston, you're free to go." The guard opened my cell door. I walked to the front counter and grabbed the bag with my personal belongings in it. I stepped outside the police station and pulled my phone from the bag

_***RING RING RING***_

"_**Yo this is Vino's Carpet Cleaning and Stain Removal, Vino speaking how may I service ya?" **_

"_**Vino its Shawn." I said. **_

"_**Shawn?" I heard the smile in his voice. "Haven't heard from you since you're father's funeral, such a shame to lose a valued employee." **_

"_**Yeah, listen I got a job for you and the boys, how quickly can you be in Forks, Washington?" I heard the tip tap of a keyboard as he searched how far it was. **_

"_**I'll book a flight for tonight; see you in the morning buddy." **_

_***Hangs UP* **_

Seth's POV  
>I watched with a smile as Karla played with Caleb, her mind seemed to actually be drifting away from Shawn. The front door opened and in walked Sam.<p>

"How's everything going?"

"She's doing better." I said. "After some sleep and a clear head she's starting to realize that she and Caleb are safe here.

"That's good." We are gonna keep constant guard on them, Shawn just got released." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you Sam."

"No need to thank me, you know that, she is your imprint which makes her family, even if she doesn't know it yet." He said and I smiled.

"Charlie did some background on him, nothing showed up but his father was Anthony Liston, deceased but known to be associated with a notorious New York hitman crew."

"And?"

"Could be nothing but it could be something to look out for." He told me. I nodded again and he took his leave.

"Hey babe." I asked Karla as I sat down on the couch. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything." She answered and sat next to me.

"Ok, think of all of this, our lives, as a book or a movie, people would know why I felt the way I felt for you. But what made you throw away everything and fall for me so quickly?"

"Because with you I feel safe, not just from Shawn but from any and everything." She answered. "You have a light that follows you like its attached to your soul, I knew from the first time you held Caleb that I could trust you to love and protect us, I don't know how I knew but I knew."

"Fair enough." I smiled and kissed her.

Karla's POV  
>I sat next to Seth as he played video games after our talk when a question arose in my mind.<p>

"What did you mean by if this was a book people would know why you felt how you did?" I asked.

"Cause it's obvious why I love you, your perfect." He smiled.

"Why are you procrastinating?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You always say I will know someday, tell me what I will know."

"It's not time." He said. I filled with an odd anger.

"I took the biggest risk of my life on trusting you, trust me."

"Please Karla."

"Now, or I'll take Caleb and go back." I threatened hoping he didn't catch my bluff.

"Please." He pleaded.

"Now Seth." I said. He sighed and grabbed my hand leading me to the back yard.

"There are stories of my people, how we've always protected our tribe." He started and I nodded, not really sure where this was going. "At first there were spirit warriors, then one day in a story for another time one of the warriors Taha Aki became the first wolf by melding his spirit with the body of a wolf he was able to take control and his power was so strong he was able to go back and forth, human and wolf."

"Ok?" I said. "What do scary stories have to do with us?"

"All male descendants of Taha Aki have the wolf gene and turn into wolves whenever there are vampires around to protect the tribe."

"Again what does this have to do with us? I asked about why you love me, not some legends from your tribe." He stood up and made his way into the yard.

"Promise not to run?" He asked and I nodded. He began to steam and shake and before I knew it a large sandy colored wolf stood where Seth once had. I almost fainted but maintained my cool as he turned back to Seth and put his shorts back on.

"They're not legends." He said. "The wolves and vampires are real; it is our job to protect people from them."

"So what does this have to do with us?" I asked again.

"The universe realizes how full our plates are and that we don't have time for traditional dating so we have the imprint, it means when we see our soulmate we know, they become our everything and we would do anything, be anything for them." He told me. "Karla you are my imprint, I will never love another person, you are my destiny, my soul, my everything."

"So it's forced love?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I would love you just the same any other way but the imprint is the universes way of saying done, there is your one and only. It's our repayment for what we do." I nodded again and kissed him.

"Good puppy." I smiled and he chuckled.

"Woof woof."

Seth's POV  
>It was the earliest any wolf had ever told his imprint but I was glad to have it off my chest and Karla was surprisingly cool with it. I smiled as I looked at her laying her head in my lap staring at her Facebook. I smiled because no matter what lies ahead of us in this moment the world was perfect.<p>

A/N: Review!


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